In Between
by Dr-Lemona
Summary: Whether unexplored or simply unearthed, the stories continue to revolve around the denizens of Fuuka and their lives post-Carnival.  Here are a few.


Hello everyone, Author here. These are just several pieces I have written which can be taken as stand-alones or as supplementary pieces to other works I have done. Usually these will be requests I have taken from the wonderful reviewers who support my work by leaving feedback.

Mai-HiME belongs to Sunrise

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><p><strong>-1-<strong>

_A/N This can be read with "On the Roof Again" or on its own. Reading "Crimson and Clover may provide some more background if necessary. Please enjoy!_

Kuga Natsuki was scared. It wasn't exactly a shake-in-your-shoes scared, but it qualified as being more than uneasy or nervous. She felt the ice-cold sensation settle in the base of her spine and knew what it was despite not having a word to describe it accurately. She pursed her lips and took in a deep breath.

It was a Friday afternoon, pleasant and breezy. She had dressed with an intention of riding her bike during the afternoon as evidenced by her jeans and motorcycle boots. Her motorcycle jacket was open to reveal a clean white t-shirt. Her gloves were already neatly tucked into the back pocket of her jeans and she held her helmet in her hands. Yes, she had been planning this drive for weeks now. Although she had somewhere to be the next day, she knew she wouldn't be gone too long. The rainy fall had given way to a surprisingly clear patch of days, and now all of her work had been finished and she was off to enjoy a wonderful Saturday with her finely-tuned Ducati.

Except not.

How could she have forgotten? Shizuru had only told her at least once a day. Natsuki could admit that her memory wasn't the best and she could lose track of things if she was busy, so she did not find Shizuru's reminders annoying. It honestly amazed her that she did end up forgetting anyway despite the generous amount of reminders given to her by her girlfriend.

Girlfriend...

It was still a strange word in Natsuki's vocabulary, foreign and difficult to pass through the lips. It most assuredly did not diminish Shizuru's role in her life, but the world around them relied on titles and labels in order to sort through relationships with people. Perhaps, Natsuki reasoned, in a perfect world one would never need to be concerned with such trivialities. But it was wishful thinking in this day and age, she knew this. So it was back to standing in front of the bathroom mirror every morning and silently repeating the phrase over and over again until she could bring the words out into the open.

"Shizuru is my girlfriend."

Her own voice sounded so strange to her ears but she supposed that would apply to anyone who heard his or her own voice. She was pleasantly surprised, though, that the words were more easily said this time around. She smiled at her observation and sighed.

_Shizuru is my girlfriend._

It brought quite the pleasant fuzzy feeling in her chest. Her smile grew wider.

_I love her, and she loves me._

Yes, that was a wonderful feeling! She beamed.

… _And I am meeting her father the day after tomorrow._

The warm fuzzy froze in place and crackled. Her smile hung for a second before the corners of her lips fell. Oh, this was no good. She was Kuga Natsuki. She kicked ass and took names. She brought down an organization, she participated in a Carnival that pitted girls against each other in the ultimate battle royale—and she survived! There was nothing that could bring her down...

Perhaps there was one thing.

She was standing in front of Fuuka University. In thirty seconds the final class of the love of her life would end, and the doors would open as students went about their days. As if on cue a striking woman with a head of light-brown hair separated from the crowd and walked towards Natsuki. A small smile on her lips and peaceful eyes projected a veneer of calm. She was dressed casually in a pair of dark jeans and brown boots that matched the color of her coat and the bag she carried. A red scarf, deep and rich in color, poked out of the coat. Natsuki's lips twitched into a smile as she strode forward and reached a hand out in greeting.

"Hey, Shizuru."

Now a true smile settled on Shizuru's full lips, causing Natsuki's heart to skip a beat.

"Hello, my Natsuki."

It was so very apparent, the emotion that Shizuru felt towards Natsuki. It manifested itself in subtle ways, from the possessive word in front of Natsuki's name to the way her hand nested into Natsuki's outstretched hand. Natsuki smiled and curled her fingers around Shizuru's hand.

"Are we ready to go?"

Natsuki nodded and they walked side-by-side towards the street where her Ducati was waiting. She shuffled through one of the compartments and extracted a helmet which she then handed to Shizuru's waiting hands. They exchanged helmet for bag and Natsuki placed the bag carefully in the compartment before securing it. She paused when she felt something tap her shoulder. Natsuki looked up in brief confusion towards the source of the tapping, greeting Shizuru's crimson eyes.

"Natsuki, you're thinking about it too much again."

Natsuki couldn't help the smile that grew on her lips despite the shake of her head.

"I can't help it sometimes, Shizuru. I mean... What if he hates me?"

Shizuru's lips grazed Natsuki's forehead. They lingered for a second before Shizuru stepped back.

"Dear... Everything should be quite alright."

Her lips curled into a smile.

"Besides, it isn't like his decision influences my own."

Natsuki gave an acquiescent nod.

"That's true."

"So don't worry about it."

It was refreshing how carefree Shizuru sounded in her words. Perhaps it was love that spoke through her, giving her a quiet confidence. It was a powerful thing to be confident in one's feelings and in the feelings of one's most important person. Natsuki took in a deep breath and sighed.

_Confidence, huh._

She fitted her helmet over her head and threw a leg over the motorcycle, waiting until she felt arms wrap around her middle before she turned on the ignition. She revved the Ducati.

_Confidence._

* * *

><p>Their trip was planned to coincide with the same time as the kendo tournament scheduled for the same weekend, which suited their purposes just fine. The ferry from Fuuka to the main island was blissfully incident-free as was the train ride to Kyoto. As the rest of the students chattered amongst themselves, Natsuki remained oblivious to all as her headphones pumped out a steady stream of music to drown out the noises of the train. Shizuru sat across from her with a book in one hand and a bottle of green tea in the other. Every so often they both looked up and locked eyes. Soft smiles were exchanged before they went back to their respective activities. Kyoto was quickly approaching, and as the station came to view Natsuki bit her lip. She shoved down any signs of nervousness as she grabbed their bags, following Shizuru out towards the station.<p>

The first two things Natsuki knew about Shizuru's family were things Shizuru had already mentioned to her—they were rich, and her mother had passed away long ago. The first was already apparent as a company car arrived when they exited the station. The black Mercedes idled patiently as the driver exited the vehicle. Natsuki paused as she studied the driver. The third thing she learned about Shizuru's family was her father's rather eccentric hiring tendencies. The driver was a tall, utterly gorgeous woman dressed in a sharp black suit and wearing a pair of black leather driving gloves. The driver gave Natsuki a curt nod before turning to Shizuru and offering her a small smile.

"Hello Shizuru-ojou-sama. I trust your trip went well?"

Shizuru nodded with an amused smile.

"It was quite the pleasant trip, Mariko-han. How is otou-han?"

The driver took the bags from Natsuki's slack hands and placed them in the trunk before beckoning the two to the back seat of the Mercedes. When her passengers settled Mariko took to the driver's seat and eased the car into gear.

"Shigeru-sama is doing well. He is awaiting your arrival and has prepared a room for you and Kuga-sama."

"K-Kuga-sama?" Natsuki stammered. She held a hand and shook her head. "Please, that's not necessary."

Mariko shifted gears seamlessly while flicking her gaze up towards the rear-view mirror.

"Any guest of interest to the Fujino family is to be treated with the utmost respect," Mariko said as if reading it from a manual.

Natsuki pursed her lips but let the issue slide. She had the distinct feeling that she wasn't going to get her way in this conversation.

"Actually, Mariko-han, I believe preparing a room will be unnecessary," Shizuru said, breaking the growing silence. "We are here on a school trip to represent Fuuka Academy's kendo club during the tournament here. We have a reservation already in place at the hotel our school is staying in."

"If you are sure," Mariko replied in an even tone. "I will relay your response to the staff at the manor."

The silence returned but it was much more easier to swallow as Natsuki turned to stare out the window towards the scenery. The ride was mercifully short but her breath was taken away as she stared at the sheer expanse of the Fujino manor.

Natsuki stepped out of the car and sighed. The house was done in a traditional manner with a main house surrounded with several smaller houses, all encased by a large outer wall. Wisteria vines threaded themselves up the walls, providing the property with a lovely violet shade that complemented the abundance flora of the manor. The lawns were neatly clipped and nothing looked out of place. Natsuki looked down at her school uniform and scuffed sneakers, for once feeling terribly self-conscious.

_I really don't belong here, do I?_

The cold feeling of anxiety began to show itself but Shizuru quietly sidled up next to Natsuki, grasping onto her hand with a reassuring hold. The heiress stared out towards her childhood home with an expression mixed between fondness and slight twinge of... sadness? Natsuki puzzled over the expression.

"Ara... it has been a while."

Mariko approached the two and gave a short bow before speaking.

"I relayed your housing preferences to the staff, Shizuru-ojou-sama. Unfortunately Shigeru-sama is not in today on account of being delayed on his flight from Madrid. He is expected to be back early tomorrow morning."

Shizuru pursed her lips and gave a curt nod.

"Then there is no reason for us to stay here, Mariko-han. May we please have a ride to our hotel?"

"As you wish, ojou-sama."

The ride from the manor to the hotel was also fraught with silence. Natsuki felt that this wasn't a very pleasant silence, however. Indeed, she could see Shizuru's jaw clench periodically whenever she looked over, and even the driver's silence was not a peaceful one. Natsuki crossed her arms and leaned back into the leather seat. She was no stranger to this type of silence. It had accompanied her dealings with her own father, especially after the death of her mother. Eventually, the petulant silences turned to bitter silences, and finally a complete disconnect. She knew that she herself felt no animosity towards her own father anymore—he had been out of her life for so long that there was no point in staying angry. She had built herself back from the ground up and she liked to say she had gained more than she lost.

_I have the most beautiful woman as my girlfriend, after all._

She reached out and grabbed Shizuru's hand, holding it between her hands. Shizuru started at the contact at first but soon relaxed.

They arrived at their hotel with little fanfare and deposited their bags in their room. Natsuki flopped down onto the mattress and sank into the bedding with a blissful smile on her face.

_Finally, some peace._

She shifted and propped herself up, turning to her side and resting her head on her hand as her elbow propped her upper body up. She watched as Shizuru busied herself by taking out their collective toiletries and setting them up in the bathroom before she too sat down on the edge of the bed. They shared a companionable silence for a few seconds before Natsuki cleared her throat.

"Talk to me, Shizuru."

The words made themselves out to form a demand, but her tone was soft and Shizuru always knew what Natsuki meant. Shizuru stretched out onto the bed and felt Natsuki's arm latch on around her, bringing her closer. They laid there, Natsuki's lips pressed against the back of Shizuru's head.

"I guess I cannot expect more out of my father. He is, after all, the CEO of one of the largest business empires in Japan."

Shizuru grasped onto Natsuki's free hand.

"Still..."

Natsuki smiled into Shizuru's hair and gave her girlfriend a strong hug, squeezing as hard as she could. Shizuru sighed and relaxed. Natsuki then hopped up from the bed and looked down at Shizuru who met her gaze with a curious look.

"C'mon, Shizuru. Show me around town. You said you lived here before, right? You have to know what's good to do."

Shizuru took in Natsuki's lightly challenging tone and smiled, lifting herself up off the bed and walking towards the door.

Being a controlled individual did not mean that one did not yearn for things, and Shizuru was no exception to this observation. If that were the case then she would have forever been a mere snapshot in Natsuki's life, an image of a woman who merely clapped her hands and told indecent jokes. Shizuru was more than just "Shizuru-sama" or whatever wet-dream inhabited the minds of her adoring legions. Every smile had tugged onto the lips, ending just at the predetermined confines that made an image of peaceful amusement. She could not afford to do less, and would not offer more to anyone. Until her flower-crushing self even entered the picture, Natsuki was increasingly sure that Shizuru was well on her way to forcing herself to become one-dimensional. It was a sad conclusion, but a feeling that she was all too aware of herself. After all, didn't she declare that she would never trust anyone else again? Looking back on it, Natsuki could see her errors. She was tired of denying them. But what could she do when denial was just a facet of life, especially a life lived in the shadows of a giant like Shizuru's life was? Control was just another word for denial sometimes.

_Tomorrow..._

_Tomorrow I will meet her father._

* * *

><p><em>"... I have to wear the suit, don't I... Please tell me I'm not wearing the suit."<em>

_A smile._

_"... I have to wear the suit... The thing is so..."_

_"Dashing? Handsome?"_

_"... Stupid."_

_"The cut is quite nice, you know. I had them tailor it to your measurements and in the best fabric. It shouldn't disappoint you in the least."_

Natsuki fiddled with the collar of her shirt as she sat down at a table that was in the process of getting cleared. The stiff starched fabric rubbed against her neck and she frowned, wondering how this mildly uncomfortable sensation would feel if the collar wasn't in the best fabric money could buy.

_Probably unbearable._

She paused to scan her surroundings with a cautious eye. Shizuru was off doing a routine of meeting and greeting. The room was filled with people she had little care to get to know, all dressed in various formal attire that reflected the nature of the event they were attending. The Fujino conglomerate was known for throwing all manners of parties to celebrate various events and tonight was no different, taking place in a richly-furnished ballroom in one of the most decadent hotels in Kyoto. There was talk about a successful merger between two telecom partners in Spain with Fujino Shigeru acting as the mediation. Stocks were rising and the outlook of the conglomerate for the year was just rosy. Natsuki's ears filtered through the talk. It wasn't terribly interesting. She accepted a champagne flute filled with a non-alcoholic sparkling cider from a passing waitress, noticing belatedly how beautiful the waitress was. She mulled over the contents of the flute for a second, idly wondering when Shizuru would be back.

"Ah, excuse me..."

Natsuki looked up. A middle-aged man dressed in a black tuxedo stood before her. There was a fairly charming smile on his face that failed to light up his eyes—a type of smile that Natsuki was intimately familiar with. His black hair was kept trim and his face was stubble-free, making him look slightly younger for his years.

"Do you mind if I take a seat here?"

She took a cursory look around her. Other tables were already occupied by chattering groups of people, leaving hers as the only otherwise-unoccupied table. She gave in with a soft sigh and nodded, waving a hand towards an empty seat. He took the seat and draped an arm on the table. A flash of silver caught her eye, bringing her attention to the Rolex watch on his wrist. His hand lacked a wedding band, a fact that she caught onto immediately.

"That is a _very_ sharp suit on you, miss." He gave her an appreciative eye before smiling. "Very well-made. You look positively radiant in it."

She bit the inside of her cheek, mind racing on what to say in response. She briefly ran her knuckles over with one hand.

_Don't lose your cool, Kuga. You're doing this for Shizuru, remember? Who knows if her father is watching you right now._

She swallowed.

_Don't blow it._

"Th-thank you..."

She sighed then cleared her throat.

"Fun party tonight, am I right?"

He offered an easy chuckle with his question. Her lips twitched.

"If this is your sort of thing, I guess."

"I can't say it is. It's too... stiff. Which reminds me."

He twisted in his seat and signaled for another waitress who promptly walked over with a glass of what looked like whiskey. She discreetly rolled her eyes.

_Stiff drink. Gotcha. Hopefully he didn't mean anything else._

The man accepted the glass and gave Natsuki a soft salute before taking a sip. An awkward silence ensued as Natsuki noticed that several of the guests were now making their rounds, wishing a good night to those still there. She took a sip of cider.

_I hope Shizuru comes by soon._

"So what brings you here?"

She furrowed her brow as the man's voice interrupted the silence.

"I'm here with someone," she replied, curtly.

_He's being really persistent..._

"Ah I see... This someone is an important someone?"

"Very."

"Very important, hmm?" He paused to regard his glass, letting disappointment leak into his voice. "A shame."

Natsuki raised an eyebrow.

_Is this man honestly trying to hit on me?_

She supposed she should be flattered. Perhaps. But there was something about this man that was oddly familiar. Too familiar. She pursed her lips and contented herself with finishing up her cider, noticing that the crowd was visibly thinning out. Soon she saw more waitresses than guests, signaling the event was closing up shop. She turned to subtly—in an attempt not to embarrass Shizuru—point this out to her unwanted conversation partner. Instead she felt her hand being clasped between two warm, well-manicured hands. The Rolex greeted her eyes once more when she looked down at those hands.

"Have any plans for tonight?"

His debonair smile confused Natsuki greatly. She could have sworn she saw that smile before.

"Whu—"

"Otou-han."

Natsuki wildly looked up and saw her savior standing before the two of them. Fujino Shizuru was a vision in a navy-blue _furisode _kimono that had been painstakingly embroidered with wisteria flowers. It had taken hours to get her hair up and outfitted with enough hair ornaments to cause the lights above to shine a small halo above her head due to the reflections from said ornaments. Her lips were evenly pressed together but her eyes held a certain frostiness to them as she regarded the man who had Natsuki's hands in his grasp.

_Wait a minute._

Natsuki looked over towards the man who was now staring up at Shizuru.

_Did she just say otou-han?_

The man's smile grew even wider.

"Hello, Shizuru."

* * *

><p>True to their upbringing the elder and younger Fujino did not even attempt to revisit the tense situation that started to unfold until every other guest had left save for Natsuki. The waitresses had left as well, leaving the three alone in an empty ballroom. It was curiously stuffy despite the sheer emptiness of the ballroom. Natsuki stood and shrugged off her suit jacket, folding it over on the back of her chair. She rolled up the sleeves of her shirt, allowing herself some room to breathe.<p>

"I cannot believe this..."

Shizuru's voice echoed in the room as she began to pace, which was already a phenomenal action considering her attire. Meanwhile the man—her father, Natsuki kept repeating in her head—had stood and taken off his jacket as well, laying it on his chair. He undid his cuff-links and tucked them in his pocket, allowing his sleeves to fall flat. He watched his daughter pace the room before taking up his glass.

"Really, dear, there's no need to be peeved." He let loose a quiet chuckle.

"Peeved?" Shizuru shot her father a testy look. "You tried to come onto her."

Never before had Natsuki heard the anger laced in Shizuru's voice. No matter how quiet and polite her tone was, the Fujino heiress was angry, make no mistake. The object of her anger took another sip of whiskey.

"Have a seat, Shizuru. Have a drink. You've been up all evening mixing and mingling, you must be exhausted."

"No, thank you."

He shrugged.

"I don't see what the big deal is, you've never had this kind of reaction before..."

Natsuki's ears pricked at his statement.

_Before?_

She opened her lips to say something, but Shizuru beat her to it when she turned, her kimono sleeves swirling around her slim figure. The ornaments in her hair twinkled from the motion.

"Otou-han!"

"I know!"

Despite the louder voice there was still a smile on his lips that indicated his emotion was far from elevated. He took another sip casually.

"Besides, she was having none of it. I daresay her attention was elsewhere this night. Perhaps on you?"

Shizuru paused in her pacing, shooting Natsuki a questioning look. Natsuki offered a shrug in return, indicating her abject confusion.

"Is that so..." Shizuru's gaze shot towards her father. "Even so. I believe it would behoove you to stop any advancements."

"Oh ho ho!" he hooted, raising a hand in surrender. "I give, I give. Please don't give your father that look, honey. It'll give your face wrinkles."

Natsuki cleared her throat, abruptly stopping the two from their back-and-forth squabble. Two pairs of dark red eyes stared at her expectantly, taking her off guard for a second.

"Can... Can somebody tell me what is going on?"

The two paused until the elder Fujino's eyes lit up in realization.

"Goodness, where are our manners?"

He walked over to Natsuki. Shizuru sighed wearily.

"Natsuki... this is my father—"

"Fujino Shigeru." He took her hand and raised it towards his lips. "At your service."

Natsuki plucked her hand away as realization began to trickle in.

_This lecherous man is her father._

Somehow, she couldn't say she was surprised. She remembered her manners just before she could be prompted.

"My name is Kuga Natsuki."

* * *

><p>It was a short ride from the ballroom to the manor, a quiet ride. Natsuki dug into her pocket for her cellphone and flipped it on to check the time. It was still rather early in the night, not even touching midnight yet. She crossed her arms and looked over towards Shizuru who was busy staring out the window. She wasn't sure if it was the kimono or Shizuru's mood that prevented her from being relaxed. Shigeru on the other hand was humming a little tune to himself as he sat beside Natsuki.<p>

_Keep your cool, Kuga, keep your cool._

They parked and departed from the car and into a sitting room. The manor was quiet save for the brief bustle of maids who had readied the room for their arrival. After they left Natsuki felt Shigeru's eyes upon her once more. But as he sat on a cushion set before her she had the distinct feeling that this was not going to be another attempt to take her home with him.

"My Shizuru has told me plenty about you, Kuga-han, but she left out just how beautiful you look." He let out a disappointed sigh. "How come there were no pictures?"

Natsuki fought her oncoming blush as Shizuru shot her father a warning look. If he saw it he failed to acknowledge it, instead opting to undo his bow-tie and unbutton the collar of his shirt.

"Well... moving on... " He tapped the side of his forehead. "Kuga... it is an unfamiliar name, not a name I have heard of. Is your family independently wealthy?"

Natsuki furrowed her brow.

"I would have to say no."

"No? I see... You are only a year younger than Shizuru, yet you are a third year in high school still."

"I am a year behind, yes."

"Why?"

Natsuki frowned.

"Why do you need to know?"

Her voice, curt and uncompromising, caused Shigeru to frown.

"Well, considering you are currently seeing my daughter, I would like to think you are a person of clear conscience."

Natsuki turned her head to look at Shizuru. Their gazes locked for an indeterminate amount of time, yet to them it was all the time in the world.

_My conscience, clear?_

Natsuki gave a small smile.

_Mister, with what we've been through, I'm pretty goddamn sure my conscience will never be clear. _

_But whose is?_

"Kuga-han... I'm not the enemy here."

Natsuki blinked. Shigeru sighed and rubbed his forehead, a habit Natsuki had seen done before by Shizuru. Even through his crumpled suit and his tired expression he looked flawless.

"Perhaps it was too forward of me to ask you these questions so early. After all this is our first meeting."

He paused and thought over his next words.

"But you fascinate me, Kuga-han. And I would like to know more about you. But I am afraid that will require more meetings."

_More meetings?_

Natsuki could scarcely believe it. Was he wanting to see her more? Shigeru offered her an unreadable smile, practiced and easily executed.

"If you ever have the pleasure of knowing what it is like to have a child and watch that child grow older, you will more likely than not understand the position I am in. Maybe not agree, but understand."

He rubbed his jaw before letting his hand rest on his knee.

"So you swim, Kuga-han?"

Natsuki nodded, wondering where he was going. Shigeru's expression turned serious as he studied her.

"Your legs must look _stunning_ when you have a swimsuit on..."

"Otou-han!"

"Kidding, kidding! Oh... Shizuru I didn't think your Kuga-han could turn any more shades of red..."

* * *

><p>Their hotel room could not look any more inviting than it did when they made their way back a little after midnight. They had made their social rounds for the night and were finally alone. Shizuru led Natsuki towards the plush sofa in the corner of their room, taking a seat. Natsuki chose to stand for the moment.<p>

"He likes you, you know."

Natsuki's brow twitched.

"I sure he does, with him hitting on me."

Shizuru shook her head.

"No, not like that. I meant that he likes you, as a person."

"Ah." Natsuki paused and fiddled with the edges of her shirt sleeves. "Hey, Shizuru..."

"Yes?"

"What was it like, growing up with him?"

Shizuru thought on the question.

"Ara, I suppose... I suppose it was not particularly extraordinary. He was always away on business. I was raised more by nannies and tutors."

"Were they all beautiful, leggy women?"

Natsuki meant it to be a teasing remark, but something fell in Shizuru's eyes and she immediately regretted her jab at humor.

"Ah, I'm sorry—"

"No. No it's okay."

Shizuru shook her head. Natsuki frowned and walked over to the mini fridge near the bed. She opened it and extracted a bottle of green tea. She waved the bottle towards Shizuru who nodded faintly in response. Natsuki set the bottle and two paper cups at the table beside Shizuru, who sighed.

"You must think my father is a rather lecherous man. I don't blame you."

Her hands began to busy themselves by pouring out tea into cups.

"How can I say this? Well... My father... My father is the loneliest man you may ever meet."

"Loneliest?" Natsuki echoed, accepting one of the cups.

"He likes to say he is a connoisseur of many things. Expensive things. He is a glib man, very intelligent, and very hard to read." Shizuru allowed herself to smile. "Tell me, Natsuki... who am I describing?"

"Your father..." Natsuki stopped. "... But also, yourself."

A nod affirmed her statement.

"When my mother passed... my father was never the same. He buried himself in his work, and often sought the company of beautiful women when work failed to satisfy him. But that company was never to replace my mother, who was now somewhere unapproachable." Her smile turned a bit strained. "Perhaps that is where I learned to do the things I do."

"But you aren't him, Shizuru," Natsuki replied.

"No. No I'm not."

Shizuru's expression grew dimmer.

"There are a great many things I have done, that I regret. Do you understand, Natsuki?"

_I understand all too well._

But guilt was like standing on a chair with a noose around your neck. Quite clearly there has been careful planning involved, intimate knowledge on how and why the desire to feel guilty manifests itself. You have placed yourself on top of the chair and placed the noose. A kick of the feet would bring a certain outcome. Above everything else, Natsuki hated seeing the love of her life in this position.

"This Carnival... has done a lot, hasn't it?"

Shizuru looked up as Natsuki spoke. Natsuki offered her a thin smile.

"We have both changed. Hell, I'm pretty sure all of us have changed. But there is something about that change that's kept us both together, don't you think?"

Shizuru thought on Natsuki's words.

"You're right."

Natsuki cupped Shizuru's face with a gentle hand. They enjoyed each other's touch for a quiet moment.

"You're my most important person, Natsuki." Shizuru sighed and smiled into Natsuki's hand. "No matter how much guilt I feel, I will always hold true to that."

Natsuki offered an easy grin.

"And you are mine."

Natsuki bent down and found Shizuru's lips, pressing her own against them. They withdrew and kissed several more times, each feeling as if they were lifting weights off of each other. Shizuru smiled into Natsuki's lips and they held their last kiss, savoring each other before Natsuki straightened. She frowned as something suddenly occurred to her, causing Shizuru to tilt her head.

"Natsuki?"

"What did your father mean by 'before'?"

Shizuru frowned and motioned for Natsuki to elaborate.

"You know, when he said 'you've never had this kind of reaction before,'" Natsuki repeated, adding a fair imitation of Fujino Shigeru's voice.

Now Shizuru's smile had an amused curve to it. Natsuki's voice, already a little bit low, had a comical gruffness attached to it when she attempted to imitate a man's voice.

"He was trying to get a rise out of you, Natsuki."

"What?"

Now that smile was accompanied by a chuckle.

"I imagine it did, if you asked."

Natsuki miserably tried to hide her reddening face with a cough.

"O-Of course not!" She cleared her throat awkwardly. "It's not like I have any right to be jealous about those you dated before me..."

"But you are?"

The defeated groan Natsuki gave in response caused Shizuru to laugh, a clear sound that caused Natsuki to smile in spite of herself. Shizuru stood and suddenly drew Natsuki in close.

"No worries, my Natsuki..."

Her breath against Natsuki's ear sent a delicious shiver down her spine and she bit her lip to keep from groaning in an entirely different tone.

"There hasn't been anyone else before."

Natsuki blinked before licking her curiously dry lips.

"R-Really?"

Shizuru nodded in affirmation. They separated briefly and Natsuki offered a timid smile.

"I... I guess this really is it, then."

_Yes, this really is._

Their chatter went on through the night, and Natsuki finally relaxed. Her thoughts began to travel back to Fuuka for one brief moment. She thought of their apartment, of something hidden in one of her lock boxes that usually contained the extra set of her Ducati keys. She was pretty sure the small box was still there, sitting patiently.

_Soon._

It was early morning when their words died off. Natsuki gave Shizuru's kimono an appraising eye.

"So... how long would it take to get out of that get-up?"

Shizuru bit her bottom lip and smiled enticingly.

"I am sure it would take less time than it did to get in... but perhaps I could use some help?"

They shared amused chuckles before that too melted away in favor of something much more intimate.

* * *

><p><strong>AN**

Oh, that was fun. I hope I can do more of these!

Thank you for reading.


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